Investigators describe an in vitro model of the human microcirculation with the potential to recapitulate discrete steps of early metastatic seeding, including arrest, transendothelial migration and early micrometastases formation. [Nat Protoc]
Abstract

Scientists indirectly monitored transcriptional activity of Yap1 and its spatiotemporal localization in living zebrafish and found that Yap1 entered the nucleus and promoted transcription in response to blood flow. In cultured human endothelial cells, laminar shear stress induced nuclear import of YAP and its transcriptional activity in a manner independent of Hippo signaling. [Dev Cell]
Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Scientists investigated the role of microRNA (miR)-199a-3p in the regulation of tumor microenvironment and development of hepatocellular carcinoma by several in vitro and in vivo assays. In vitro restoration of miR-199a-3p expression either in endothelial cells (ECs) or in cancer cells significantly diminished migration of ECs in co-culture assay. [Cell Death Dis]
Full Article

Investigators report the expression of MUC1 and CD43 on bladder cancer cells (BCs), and demonstrated that these ligands interact with ICAM-1 to mediate cancer cell-endothelial cell adhesion in the case of the more invasive BCs. [Biophys J]
Abstract

Given the recent success of immunotherapies, combinations of anti-angiogenics with immune checkpoint blockers have become an attractive strategy. However, implementing such combinations will require a better mechanistic understanding of their interaction. The authors focus on revisiting the concept of anti-angiogenesis in combination with immunotherapy as a strategy for cancer treatment. [Angiogenesis]
Abstract

Brazilian scientists have been left horrified by a 44% slash to the federal science budget, announced by the country’s government. This will leave the Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovations and Communications with its lowest budget in at least 12 years at just 2.8 billion reais, equivalent to US$898 million — a 2.2 billion reais cut from the five billion reais of funding that the government had originally proposed for 2017. [Nature News]
Editorial

When a US fertility clinic revealed last year that it had created a baby boy using a controversial technique that mixes DNA from three people, scientists were quick to raise the alarm. Some objected on ethical grounds, and others questioned the scientific claims made by the clinic’s leader, physician John Zhang. [Nature News]
Editorial

The Donald Trump administration appears to have reversed its decision to remove from public sight the results of past government inspections of animal research facilities. But getting hold of new inspection reports is proving to be another matter. An animal welfare researcher has found that only four reports have been posted during the first quarter of 2017. [ScienceInsider]
Editorial